# [Replacing balenaEtcher with Rufus as installer for
Windows](
https://tails.net/news/rufus/index.en.html)
We replaced _balenaEtcher_ with _Rufus_ in our [installation instructions for
Windows](
https://tails.net/install/windows/index.en.html) to solve privacy
concerns with _balenaEtcher_.
Since [January 2019](
https://tails.net/news/report_2019_01/), we had been
recommending [_balenaEtcher_](
https://etcher.balena.io/) to install Tails from
Windows and macOS. We loved the simplicity of _balenaEtcher_ , which was
really easier to use and worked on macOS as well.
Shortly after, _balenaEtcher_ started displaying ads. Although we didn't like
that, we initially didn't view it as a significant privacy risk and had no
better alternative at the time.
However, in 2024, the situation changed: _balenaEtcher_ started sharing the
file name of the image and the model of the USB stick with the Balena company
and possibly with third parties. While we have not experienced or heard of any
attacks against Tails users stemming from this change, we believe it
introduces potential for abuse. To eliminate that risk altogether, we started
looking again for alternatives.
After evaluating [7 other
tools](
https://gitlab.tails.boum.org/tails/tails/-/issues/20423), we finally
chose [_Rufus_](
https://rufus.ie/). We had [tested _Rufus_ many years
ago](
https://gitlab.tails.boum.org/tails/tails/-/issues/7034), even before
recommending _balenaEtcher_ , but it was much harder to use and modified the
Tails image in ways that were risky.
Congratulations to Akeo Consulting, the company behind _Rufus_ , for really
improving the usability and reliability of their tool!
We have not yet replaced _balenaEtcher_ in our installation instructions for
macOS because _Rufus_ doesn't work on macOS. Also, as Tails doesn't work on
Apple M1 and M2 processors, people who install Tails from macOS represent less
than 10% of installations nowadays.
Still, we recommend [2 alternatives for
macOS](
https://tails.net/install/mac/index.en.html#etcher): installing Tails
using `dd` on the command line or using [_Raspberry Pi
Imager_](
https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/).
URL: <
https://tails.net/news/rufus/index.en.html>
